Life is full of Yellow Lights

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Ever since hearing that the Queens Museum is being renovated (as well as checking their Instagram for progression pictures), I was so excited to be able to visit it. As the museum is housed within the Flushing Meadows Corona Park, it’s always a bonus to check out the surrounding sights while going to the museum.

For those who aren’t aware, Flushing Meadows Corona Park is a very important part of history. It was the site for the famous 1964 World’s Fair. If anyone has ever seen the gigantic globe of the world and never knew where it stands, now you do. It’s inside the park. It’s a magnificent piece of art and through time, come to be synonymous with Queens, NYC.

1964 World’s Fair memorabilia.

World’s Fair Globe.

But without much ado, to the museum!

Front of Queens Museum and a lovely gazebo.

Some of the exhibits were pretty interesting, although to be honest I was a little disappointed that not many were about Queens. However, they are still in the progress of renovation and putting up new exhibits so I’m hoping to see more permanent ones revolving around Queens and NYC.

Gigantic mural of the 99% that greets you when you come into the museum.

One of my favorites is the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) Watershed exhibit which teaches people on where their drinking water originates from. (See below) There is a room sized display of NYS and it shows the various watersheds and paths that water flows into the city. They also have quite a few pictures donated by the DEP that shows watersheds, natural falls, as well as old historical pictures of the workers that helped create it into the system it is today. My only gripe is that there are descriptions next to the pictures but not very clearly labeled.

The People’s UN exhibit. The clock is a piece made entirely of old casings and guns.

The rest of the exhibits were very nice, but I have to admit the only reason why I wanted to see the museum was due to the fact that they house a larger than life sized diorama of NYC with all properties. It is so amazing when you think about all the work (and time) that it took to create such a masterpiece.

Part of Manhattan in perpetual darkness.

When you come in, it’s all platformed and you walk around looking at the city below. Part of the platform had glass flooring so you can see below. While I really loved seeing this, I hope that part of their upgrading would be to address some minor issues of the exhibit, such as how part of Manhattan is in darkness (please change the lightbulb there). I did have a lot of fun trying to locate old homes, workplaces, and generally just seeing how everything used to be (I believe locations are current as of the 70s) before condos and highrises were taking the city’s skylines over.

NYC has a lot… of projects (seen as tall red buildings).

The museum is really nice overall, it’s clean, airy, and made in a way that lets a lot of natural light into the building. What I’d really love to see in the future should they consider it, is to include artwork from local Queens artists in the museum. Not that I’m an artist, but just seeing the other exhibits that they had (one about Skid Row in LA and artists from LA), it would be nice to showcase local talent.

Like this:

While for many it’s a beginning to a new year, fresh start, I feel like last year was my fresh start and this is just another day to continue my (what I would consider) good luck. Knock on wood, it’ll continue on through 2014 and subsequent years.

Why the very pessimistic title? I just can’t keep a resolution. Every year I aim high but I never seem to hit anything. I have made a few strides but not yet walked that mile quite yet. This year I’m just going to take it as it comes, try to do as much as I can and then just see what happens.

Looking back to 2013’s goals (and updating as of 2014 in bold):

Learn to code (js, c++, html, ruby, completing any one is acceptable) – 2014: Started HTML around Oct of 2013, slowly but surely learning.

Use the Yashica more (and look for better developers as well) – 2014: Took a few pictures in 2013, but haven’t yet finished that one roll (did finish a roll… but kind of screwed up and lost all 24 pics).

Hang with friends (even with all my time, hanging out is rare) – 2014: Total fail. Hung out with absolutely no one. Damn work.

Use a sewing machine (no more needles in my fingers!) – 2014: Moved, so no access to a sewing machine. Did use a needle to sew a button on a sweater though.

Take Trouble to the park more – 2014: Moved, now I walk cats.

Learn to crochet – 2014: Did learn to crochet, but haven’t picked it up since I moved. 😦

Learn a new language (Spanish & Mandarin, completing any one is acceptable) – 2014: Started using Duolingo to refresh my Spanish and after, will start to learn French. I still refuse to pay for Rosetta Stone.

Be more positive – 2014: Working in the new job where it seems positivity is something that definitely gets you through the day.

Update this blog more – 2014: Total fail, haven’t really updated since starting a job.

Like this:

Ensemble:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Barry Bostwick: Spin City) – The main character of the story. Then-Governor FDR contracts Polio from a Werewolf attack and that spurs him to run for President and get involved in World War II in ways that you did not read in the history books.

Louis (Bruce McGill: MacGuyver) – FDR’s companion and right hand man. He witnesses FDR’s attack as well as assists him in his reign as President.

Cleavon Buford (Ross Patterson: FDR: American Badass) – A ‘Repube” that assists FDR in gaining the state of Georgia in his run for President.

Plot:

America has been infiltrated by Werewolves where any area that you’re bitten by a Werewolf you contract Polio. FDR goes on a hunting trip and encounters a werewolf that gives him Polio. We follow FDR’s journey into acceptance and making the best of the situation by taking matters into his own hands and going after those responsible. We meet various characters along the way, such as Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito from the Axis of Evil as well as Winston Churchill, who engages America in Lend-Lease to fight the enemies.

Verdict:

I can’t say when I’ve watched a movie so absurd that it tickled me so. The humor of this was very similar to Anchorman where it seems the characters had Carte blanche to say whatever popped into their minds. The movie with its cast of veteran actors (that you’ve undoubtedly have seen in many shows throughout the years), as well as the ridiculous story plot and lines, really come together and make this a flick worth watching. The humor was so wrong and if you’re one who cries about how un-PC things are, you should avoid this movie. All those who are looking for something to fill their 93 mins with, should watch this movie.

I feel like every day is a moment of learning. There is always something that I do not know that I find out about and it’s always so amazing, that just when you think you know enough about something you are thrown something from out of left field and it is just so eye opening.

It kind of knocks the hubris out of you.

I suppose the reason why you would have to be humble and open to learn is because one day you may find yourself in the position where you’re the one who knows it and have to pass that knowledge onto someone.

Like this:

As I finally have some time to sit down (maybe this would become a weekly updated thing), time to fart out some thoughts of things that happened in the past week (few weeks?).

Dog:

I think sometimes letting things go are for the best, especially if it’s a bad placement for everyone. After three weeks of having our new dog, sadly we had to return him back to the rescue organization. It was heartbreaking all around, but when the dog attacks after a week of being in his new home it just doesn’t seem like a pet we would like to keep around little animal and children. So, back he went. At least we had some nice moments where we went to the park and those long walks.

Cats:

Astrid is just growing little by little every day. My little girl is growing up so quickly. She still likes being on my lap at times, but when I try to hold her she squirms and tries to escape. I love Jean (the older cat) too, but I think sometimes she’s a bad influence. Jean doesn’t like to be held for long periods of time and now Astrid is learning from her big sister. No bueno.

Work:

As I enter my fifth (whoa!) month of work, it’s getting interesting. (So far) none of us have been sacked yet. I’m getting used to the schedule and the people. I love my coworkers, I always think, even if the gig is horrible, the people I meet during my journey that some are ones that are destined to stay and some are just fleeting meets. This feels like the former. These people definitely make my day, even if something brings me down. Somehow a year seems so far away, but every day I’m getting closer to it. I guess just keep on the path I’m going and hopefully it will lead to bigger and better things. We’ll see. If not, then I can at least catch up on my sleep and hobbies.

Like this:

It seems the more you prepare for something, the even moreso it will fall through.
Some background information:

We are in the process of adopting a very adorable dog from a rescue organization. We actually have been in the process for a month now, and normally I don’t deal with rescues for that exact point alone. To be honest, if it were up to me I would have just gone to a kill shelter, rescued one of those (equally needing of a home) dogs and called it a day. At least I wouldn’t have to wait on pins and needles to bring a pet home. Sorry, I don’t like to wait, especially if I could save an animal the same day and free up space so they could accommodate another one from the streets. At least with a rescue organization I figure they would make arrangements where those animals are not at risk of being euthanized. So to make a long story short, we decided to adopt from the org, filled out the application and so forth, and met with the rescue org’s staff as well as the person who was fostering the dog last month. We seemed to get along fine, and had set upon a date when the rescue org was going to drop off the animal on a home visit just to make sure we’re prepared and such.

The visit didn’t happen, not surprising.

It always happens when you deal with more than one party. If one party is ready, the other one may not be and that puts such a wrench in the plans. Again, not too surprising. I really couldn’t be too angry because part of me prepared for that moment. I suppose all that really is, is to wait and give it another shot. Again, more or less it still depends on the other party. The conflict this time around isn’t a scheduling difficulty, it is more on the part of that one party and how they do not want to part from the dog. I can’t say I blame them. The dog seemed to be a sweetheart and I would be hard pressed to let them go too, however they knew the deal when they came into the position so not to sound too heartless, it was a moment that they should have prepared for as well.

I hope that this delay is giving that person the time they need to come to closure with him so that we can finally welcome him into our home.

Like this:

Why does it always seem that way, where breaks/lunch/weekends always go by so quickly while work always drags on?

My first day off is pretty much over, and I can’t even say I did anything fun either!
Grown up problems, I went grocery shopping with the SO. Put everything away and then in real grown up fashion, I took an afternoon nap with the cats on the couch.

In some good news, I received a post card from a dear friend and it brought the biggest smile to my face. I can’t wait to hang out with him again.

Other than that, it’s time to clean. Have to get the place less cluttered, more presentable for what may or may not be happening tomorrow.